Escaping Fate
by LittleDevilRose
Summary: Connor's, Risa's, and Lev's success at escaping their fate of being unwound has given hope to unwinds all over the world who wish to escape their fate, but can one girl, Amber do it? One shot.


_Run. RUN. They're going to catch you. If they catch you, you're done for._ That's what Amber tells herself to keep moving through the dense forest. If they catch you, you'll be unwound! Heart pounding she hears the Juvey Cops order some dogs to aid in their search. _Come on move faster!_ Amber's legs would happily comply, but her lungs demand a rest. Scanning the forest for a place to temporarily hide, Amber pays no attention to the ground conditions. The forests of Northern Michigan in the winter time are draped with inches of snow, and slick icy areas.

With one slip of her foot Amber tumbles down, rolling past branches that scratch her skin as she tumbles past. Amber's face hit's the thick cold ice of Lake Superior. With the sun shining against the ice, Amber can see her own beaten reflection in the ice. Frantic emerald eyes stare back at Amber, and she cannot believe how different her reflection is from the last time she glanced at it. Thick chestnut brown hair is tangled and sticking out. Cheeks that reveal Native American ancestry are cut and bloody, hiding her freckles. Thin, chapped lips part to gasp.

The sound of the hounds barking snaps Amber out of her thoughts. How could a teenager go from having the time of her life, to finding the unwinding order typed to her door? Amber staggers up onto her own two feet…_They won't be MY feet for long_… and takes off running. As she runs, while trying not to slip, warm tears slide down Amber's cold face. With only a thin jacket and jeans to keep her warm Amber knows that she most find a warm place to hide soon. _Why? Why would they sign that damn order? Sure I don't get the best grades, and I can sometimes cause trouble okay maybe a lot of trouble…but I thought they loved me!_ Once Amber found the slip, courtesy of her concerned older sister, Amber ran away.

Amber is sixteen almost seventeen, so close that she can almost taste the freedom. Being seventeen means one thing, safety. Thanks to the Akron AWOL she's heard about, the age of adult hood went from eighteen to seventeen; bringing hope to those unwinds on the run. Amber is forced to slow down as she reaches thinner, broken ice. _I just have to make it one more week! There has to be a safe house here somewhere._ A scream escapes Amber's lips as her foot slips through a thin spot in the ice. The cold water hit's the teen like thousands of needles piercing her skin. Clawing at the ice, Amber desperately tries to drag herself up. Then suddenly a question she was asked when she was younger pops into her head.

_"Would you rather die? Or be unwound? Live in a divided state as they call it, or not be living at all?"_

Amber clings onto the ice for a moment. _I've heard stories about those who received a body part from an unwind. The unwind's memories stuck with them, the unwind had no clue that they were unwound, and desperately tried to control that body part. That would be hell, to be trapped in a body you can't move, having no idea what happened to you?_ Making up her mind, Amber releases her grip on the ice, preparing to get a lung full of water. Closing her eyes, Amber welcomes death.

A while later, Amber opens her eyes, but the only thing she sees is white light. _Am I dead? Did I do it? Did I escape my fate as an unwind?_ Trying to sit up Amber feels that her arms are restrained. Vision clearing, Amber sees that she's in a hospital, with her hands buckled to the railings of the bed. _No!_

"Calm down." A doctor urges, "Filthy unwind, you could have damaged your organs. What use would you be then? Once you're stable, you'll be heading off to a Harvest Camp."

Amber struggles to find her voice, "H-How long?"

"Hm?"

"How long until I'm stable?"

The doctor smiles, "Tomorrow. And don't think about trying to over does on something, we've given you everything you need." With that he leaves.

Slamming her head against the pillow Amber holds back tears. _Don't let them know they've won, don't let them see you crying._ A nurse walks by around two in the morning, "How are you doing sweetie?"

Amber's reply is short and venomous, "Fine."

The nurse leans forward next to Amber's ear, so close that Amber can make out the brand of perfume the nurse is wearing, "I know you're an unwind. And I'm willing to help, but you have to act natural. Nod if you understand." Amber nods, "There's a couple of ways to get out of this, one you run and hide till you're seventeen, two get a fake ID or steal one, or your third option and the easiest…"

"Is what?" Amber asks.

"It's painful, but they won't unwind a disabled person. Meaning being paralyzed." The nurse places some clean clothes on Amber's bed, "There's no one on this floor but me right now. I'm going to unbuckle you, just be smart enough to not get caught."

Once Amber is free she quickly changes out of the hospital gown, then she turns to the nurse, "Thank you…but why help me?"

The nurse smiles, "I lost my son in a custody battle, I was going through a rough patch in my life, but soon my ex husband ordered my son to be unwound." The nurse fights back tears, "I never got to say good bye to my son. So now I help unwinds in any way possible."

"How noble." Amber starts to walk away, "Do you have any idea where the nearest safe house is?"

"Yes, go three blocks nor…"

The nurse is cut off my security personal, "The unwind is escaping! Grab her!" Amber's brain comes up with two instinctive reactions. Fight or flight. Spotting the guns filled with tranquilizer bullets strapped to the cop's belt Amber decides to go with flight. _They'll catch me if I take the stairs._ I'll have to take the elevator. Running into the nearest elevator Amber thanks God as the doors close just in time.

Taking a breath Amber smiles, "First floor and freedom here I come." As soon as the elevator doors open, Amber realizes her mistake. There's cops' waiting for her on the first floor. Running at top speed, Amber barely dodges the blue tranquilizer bullets as they zoom past her. Losing them in a series of hall ways, Amber peaks out a window causing her stomach to drop. There are cop cars all over, there's no escaping through the hospital's doors.

The nurse's words echo in her mind, _"They won't unwind a disabled person."_

Amber dashes up to the fourth floor and looks out a window, "I think this is too high…damn it! I'm not being unwound!" Amber bites her lip, "But if I jump here…I could end up killing myself!"

A door slams open, "I think she's up here!"

Cursing Amber jerks the window open, "I've got no choice!" Turning her head down the hall way she can see the cops.

"She's trying to jump! Shoot!" Not having time to say a prayer Amber places a foot on the ledge and pushes herself out the window. Her stomach twists and her eyes water as the wind pushes her hair back. Amber tries to position herself to land in a way that will break her spine, but her timing is off. Her head bounces against the cement, cracking her skull wide open, causing brain matter to spew out. Amber's limbs twitch for a moment before she falls still.

As Amber's life slips away from her she can help but smile. To smile at her own stupidity for jumping at such a high floor, for screwing up her life causing her parents to sign the unwinding form, and for at least ending things on her terms. _I beat fate…I beat my fate of being…unwound._


End file.
